EXCLUSIVE: America First Legal (AFL) says it has filed a request with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) seeking a federal investigation into Penguin Random House over what the group alleges are unlawful, race- and sex-based employment practices reflected in the publisher’s publicly posted diversity, equity and inclusion framework.
In a Dec. 16, 2025 letter addressed to EEOC Chair Andrea R. Lucas, America First Legal Foundation asked the agency to issue a “Commissioner Charge” and investigate Penguin Random House, LLC (PRH) under EEOC regulations.
AFL alleges PRH’s recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention and workforce-development practices “appear to discriminate against prospective and current employees” on the basis of “race, color, sex, and national origin,” and argues those practices are unlawful under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“It appears Penguin Random House is using race and sex to shape its workforce in the name of ‘more inclusive business practices’,” said Bobby Crossin, Attorney at America First Legal. “The Civil Rights Act does not allow corporations to discriminate, no matter how fashionable the label.”
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is the federal agency responsible for enforcing civil rights laws that prohibit workplace discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin and other protected characteristics. The agency has authority to investigate complaints, request employer records and refer matters to the Department of Justice.
America First Legal claims in its letter that PRH’s policies “appear to be designed to exclude white men,” arguing “this is unlawful.”
The letter points to PRH’s public-facing DEI materials, including a page titled “Our Approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion,” and a set of “five pillars” AFL says demonstrate the company’s use of protected characteristics in employment decisions.
Penguin Random House publicly describes its hiring and workforce strategy as explicitly tied to demographic representation. On its website, the company says it is working to “cultivate a diverse workforce that represents the society we live in,” adding that it releases annual workforce demographic data to track progress.
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